Indicator device for instruments



l 635 479 1927' s. HUTCH INSON NDICATOR DEVICE FOR INSTRUMENTS 4 FiledSept. 14, 1925 2 Sheets-Shet 1' 7 1 I Z 162/2 y 2 /4 e 10 1 gg g 3 5 791 1M. K L11. m '1 w 6+ 5 34 7 I a we 35' 1 1. 1 :3 31 9O 5 I00 5 I 5 91234 6789 1 1234 9 56 I luf entor Ghggye zzfzznsoiz v I V 1 635 479 July12, G. HUTCHINSON 9 I INDICATOR DEVICE FOR INSTRUMBNTS med Sept; 14.1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 12, 1927. I

warren stares! TENT.

GEORGE HUTCI-IINSON, or snnnoyeAmwrsoonsrn, ASSIGNOR T0 nurtonmson SCALECOMPANY, or. sHnBoYenN, Wisconsin, A CORPORATION" or wrsconsnv.

; INDIGA'I'DRliDEVICE Application filed Septeniher This inventionrelates to improvements in indicator devices for instruments, and Whilein the following specification and in the drawing reference is madespecifically to the indicator device for a computing scale, it should beunderstood that the invention is not limited to this, specific manner ofuse. I- v 4 It is an objectof the present invention to eliminateparallactic errors in the reading of instruments and especiallyof'scales on .Which readings Withjgreat frequency: and

over a great variety of values have to be made. H

It. has alreadybeen proposedin instruments in combination with chartshaving rows of designations touse separate fingers for each'row andmovable relatively to the chart in a path equidistant from the rows. Thefingers usually ivere carried on a common pointer bar, and their edgesor corner portions were used as indicati-ngelementsi An object ofthepresentinvention is to improve the arrangement of these fingers so as'tofacilitate the rapid reading of the proper values and to utilize forthis purpose I indicating elements of substantial Width compared Withtheir length) in operative relation to the graduations on a chart.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate and'accelerate accuratereadings making use of contrasting colors, the indicating elements beingtherefore set 01? from a background contrasting in color with that ofeach of'the indicating elements at both. I p r V I part.sectlonfofa'portion of a; cylindrical 7 "sides of the same.

t is also an object of the present inven tion to improve theconstruction of the fingers ofthe pointer bar by providing these fingersWith rounded ends and alining the indicating elements on said fingersat; a distance from the roundedends. V, l 1

' Another object also aiming at theelimination of parallactic error isto nove portions of the indicating element-s either directly in theplaneof'the chart or as close to this plane as possible, and"particularly to have the ends of the indicating elements in or nearthese; planes, wherehy the danger of parallactic error isreducedorentirely eliminated. y f

The invention also has the object of ar-' ranging for this purposegraduations With marginally defined zones between them, the

indicating elements extending V transversely rangenient illustrated inFig 7 non. INSTRUMENTS.

14, 1925. Serial Nb. 56,372;

of the zones, and each indicating element in.v

inoperative relationto two rovvs'v of these graduations and recesses jorgrooves adja -i some embodiments of the finventionbeing center betweenthe rows of graduations, the

grooves. p p v I N ;lV1th these and numerous other obj ects in view, theinvention-1s dGSCI'lbECl 1n the fol-' indicating elementsbeing-locatedin said accompanying dravvin In the drawingsq s Fig. 1 is'avertical sectional, partly "diagrammatical, view 1 of .a' Weighing scaleto. which the invention is applied;

I Fig. 2 is an enlarged .SBCtl the "support of a pointerbar and aportion of aflchartj l;

Fig. an a detail 'sectio nal View, of 'an end portion ofthepointerspindle its bearlowvi'ng specification and'illustrated in the .Fig. 4enlarged front elevation of portionof the. chart combined \vitha portionof a pointer bar;-

nal View Fig. 5, is a horizontal:"sectional vievvjthru the chart andpointerbar illustrated in Fig;

Fig. 6 is. a fragmentaryfenlarged section through"a'portionjof the chartinits rela-T tion toa pointer barjvhich is, shovvn'in elevation; I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevationand chart in connection with aplurality of sta'? tionaryv indicating elements; i 5

Fig." 8 is a transversesection of the' arj- Fig. 9 is a vlew in f-rontelevationsimilar to; that illustrated inFig. 4ofm-odifiedbin- Fig.10is afragmentary section through a portion of the chart combined itha to theview modified pointer bar similar shown in Fig. 6, and z dicatingelements and ainodified chartg Figs. .lli to 14: are different front?eleva I I tions of. portions. of modified: pointer bars infcomhinatmnvvithcharte v I In measuring nstruments an I-in'computingscalesiat thepresenttirne, a

single indicator, used. in most instances, this indlcato frequentlybeing, in ,1 the form of afthinfwir or pointer sweep ng over-the in) f Isurface of the chart, or where the chart'is movable, this movement ofthe chart belng uniform with respect to all parts of the sta tion-arypointer bar or pointer wire. This construction enta ls considerabledanger of parallactic errors 1n reading.

It has also been proposed in scales to use spicuous the fingers weresometimes coated with a distinctive color over their entire area, andthe edge of the finger or even the corner where two edges joined was thepoint which defined the graduation to be read on the chart; Portions ofthe surface of the finger were frequently colored differently from otherportions but 'it was always the free edge of the finger which was usedto define the reading point.

Where a continuous wire is used as an, indicator it not only overliesthe graduations which are to be read but also a number of othergraduations on the chart, as for instance all graduations on the sameradius in a fan chart; By means of the present invention the continuouswire pointer (so to speak) is converted into a plurality of indi-.

vidual indicating elements with gaps between them, so that only thoseportions of the chart. are covered WVl'llCll are .ifree of graduationmarks, and the-reading is not interi eredjwith. The continuous wire alsohas the defect ofthrowing a shadow on the surface ofthe chart. Withartificial light it is frequently difficult to ascertain at a glancewhat is the wire andwhat is the sl'i'a'do'w. The shadow,however, eventhough it may be distinguished from the wire, interferes withthe-clearness of the indications on the chart] These defects are avoidedin the present invention owing to the separate support of individualindicating elements and owing to the arrangement or" backgrounds ofcontrasting color for each oi" these indicating elen' ents; p

'The' embodiment of the invention is illustrated Fig. 11in connectionwith a computing scale which, as shown, comprises a base 1 from whichthe scale tree or housing 2 rises; This housing is shown here as havingan extension 3 serving support for a beam l t0 one end of which by meansot'a V kn fe edge an arm 5 is fiexibly connected, this arm carry ngat tslower end the plat form- :7 on which the commodity to be weighed isplaced. The other end or the te m {is conn ct-easy 4a tensie elenient.

fer n ta ce strap 8 ext nding downd with the indicating device generallydesignated at'9, anda counterb alancing device 10, so as to exert anupward lift thereon at all times during operation. Experience has shownthat this upward'litt exerted by the beam on the indicating device andcounterbalancing element is preterable over the custoin-a-rilyencountered construction of computing scale is shown in Fig.2 to have an enlargement 11 thru "which the trunnion screws 12 areinserted in direct axial aline ment with eachoth'er. These pointedscrews are adjustable in the walls of the enlargement and may belocked'in adjusted position by means of the counter-nuts 18. of thescrews enter cylindrical sockets 1 1 of a spindle 15 on which thepointer bar 16 is rigidly secured. The spindle 15 also serves forsupporting a cam 19 of well,

known construction, and to which the strap 8. serving in the presentembodiment as a lifting element is secured at one end, while the otherend of this strap. is flexibly connected. with a knife edge of the beam4-. The cam 19 and the pointer bar 16 are, furthermore, rigidly combinedwith a pendulum 21 which forms the principal part of thecounterbalancing device 10. This support ofthe indicator device 9, cam19 and countel-balancing device 10 on the spindle has the greatadvantage of maintaining the entire structure in axial alinement withthe cone screws in all positions ot'the beam 6 A chart 22 of the wellknown fan shape is secured in the interior ot the casing 2 forcooperation with the pointer bar16, the

chart 22 and pointer bar 16 being relatively movable to each other.

The points 7 ill) As may be seen from the detail Figs. 4,

9 and 11 to 1 1,. the chart is provided with concentric rows 23 ofgraduations which in the embodiments illustrated consistof designationsor values and graduation marks or lines 25. Thedesignat-ions 24preferably indicate the prices of different weights of commodities atdifferent unit prices. As in other computing scales of this character,the unit prices may be indicated on the pointer bar itself, as shown forinstance at 26, Figs. 4. and 9. Other rows of this chart may havereference to the weight only, as for instance the top row 27, Fig. 1-,which shows weight indications exclusively also combined withgrad'i'iation marks 28. The rows 23, Figs. 4c, 7, are separated bymarginally defined zones 30, these zones being either blank zones 31,Fig. 14, the area of which is in the same color as the chartitself, orwhich may ill) or recesses 33 with their bottomparts in a planeditlerent from the active or indication surface of the chart. :In all ofthese embodi- 1 ments the margins of the zones 80, 31, 32, 33 aredefined by concentric curves. 34, or by lines connecting the ends orbutts ofinark ing lines 25, or the marginal definition of the zones maybe due to the fact that the buttstermma-te in points having as locus aline which is concentric to .the rows I of marking lines again terminatein armed but-ts. It will also be noted that the designations of all rowsare uniformly directed, to facilitate reading. I

The pointer bar 16 is preferably a bar "of sheet metal which may beprovided-with lateral flanges for the purposeofstrengthen' ing it. It isfurthermore provided with laterally projecting fingers, as for instance36, Fig. 4, which act as carriers for the'indicating elements 40.lVhil-e in "known pointer bars with fingers the edges of these lingersserved as indicating elements, the indicating elements in "the'pre'sentcase are lines of substantial width as compared with their length, theselines 7 extending transversely of the finger 36 either over the wholewidth of the same, or they extend only over a portion of the entirewidth, as shown in Fig. 9 at 41 and 4-2, orv at'48 in Fig. 11. Owingto'this condition in whichthe'indicat ing elements are placed onsupportsand dov not form lines of indefinite thickness, the

- reading is greatly facilitated. I

It will also be seen that hanced tl'irough the provision of surfaceportions of a color contrasting'with' that of "the indicating element.lVhile, for instance, the finger 36 in Fig. 4 is supposed to be white incolor, the'indicating e'lement40 in readability is en the form'of a lineof substantial thickness is ot-a contrasting color. This also appliesto'the fingers shown in Figs". 7, 9'and 11 in which the indicatingelements are all located ata distance from the rounded edges of thefingers; the provision of the'roun'ded corners on these fingersobviously directing the eye of the reader away from the edge and to theindicating element so that no reading based on the position of the edgewill be made,- In Figs; 12 and 13' by way of example fingers. 43' and 44respectively are illustrated which are provided with indicating elements45 and 46 adjacent the edge portion,

but in' these embodiments also the indicating elements themselves areformed by lines of substantial width and preferably li htl than the indiidual graduation lines 11 the surface chart, I 7

It will be seenthat the indicating element.

, in its position with respect tov the graduation marks 25 on the chart22 is'renderedimore consp cuous owing to the-fact thatthis clontrastingcolor surface .47 s located at both sides of the indicatingelementsacondir" tion which not only applies to the embodi ments illustrated inFigs. 4, 9, l0, l1" or 14 butalso to the modification illustrated'inFigs. 12 and 13 respectively. While in Figs.

2 and 13 the fingers 43,44 may be provided with a colorcoating ofthesame color as the marginally defined zones 80, in theembodis ments Shownin Figs. 4, 7 or 11 the color surface 41 is in contrast with the color.-applied to the marginally defined Zone, and the conspicuousness of theindicating-clement is thereby again enhanced.

In all ofthe. embod'ments form the background fo'rthe fingers 36, andwhere "it isdesired to-make it. easier for the eye to tollo'wthemovement of the fingers over zones',-the color of which does not'contrast with respect tothe othersurface por:

.tions of the chart 22, the fingers themselves may be provided notonlywith. surface por-'- tion 47 having a color-contrasting with that oftheindicating'element 4O, as shown in Fig. '14, and torming a backgroundfor said indicating element, but an additional backe ground 49 ot' a.color difi'erent fromthat-ot the first mentioned background 47 may becreated by applyinganadditional .contrasta ing color on the finger, v I

Whilein ordinary indicating devices con1- prising arch art. and apointer which maybe relatively movable thereto, the indicating j elementformed by the edge of a fingeron the pointer-1s operated in relation toa s ngle the zones 30.

rowofgraduations only.- 111 the improved. I

device of the present invention the indicating elements-40, 41 and. soforthotthe fingers 36, as for instance. shown in Figs. 4', 11, to 14,or'in Fig. 7, are-eachadapted-tor cooperation with two of the rows. InFig.

9,. however, again itis illi'istra-tedthat -the present improvementmaybe appliedto a 42 of substantial wi'dth'carried on the fingers Chart22 in which the indicating eleinentstl,

36 and having a color contrasting with that of their background 47 arein cooperation each with a. single row 23 'only. \Vhere this cooperationof each ind cat ng element with two rows is desired, the graduationmarks- 25 in each row 23 have their'butts. directed towards theindicating element '40, theb'utts of the graduation inarks25 beingdirected towards the vacant zone 30. Fiach alternate row'23 is theninverted; in respect to the direction of its'butts, Fig. 4,,and'thebutts 0t the marks'QSspertaining,tofthe rows of thev same pair beingdirected towards each other to facilitate thereading of each indicatingelement 40' in cooperation with two rows. In the top row, Fig.4, theindicating 'Jelement 40 is not only in cooperation "tithe row 23 showingthecomputed total.v prices-of commodities of a certain unit price, towit cents, but it is also in cooperation with a row27 containing weightindications only. The indicating elements are arranged to intersect, iI"extended, the lines 34- which are 'shown to connect the butts ofadjacent rows,'an arrangement which greatly assists in eliminatingparallactic error.

In the preferred. embodiment, as illus trated in Figs. l to 9 inclusive,and also as shown for instance in Fig. 12, the indicating elements arelocated directly in the plane of the surface of the gi'ad'uations on thechart, since they enter the'recesses of the chart 22. The lengthof theseindicating elements may equal approximately the. Width of these recesses50, excepting working clearance, but at any rate the ends of theindicating elements are very close to the butts of the graduation marks.of the chart. The

' recesses, as shown in Figs. 4.- to 9 or 12 are disposed along portionsofcircles having pointer bar. g

In the embodiment illustrated inFigs. 7 ,p and 8, the indicator deviceisshown as fornithe same'center as the rows of graduations andvtherefore they'appear as concentric grooves, the fingers 36 on thepointer bar 16 projecting into these grooves by being deflectedfr'om'the plane of movement of the ing part-of a drum scale, the housingoil which is shown at 51. This housing serves for supporting astationary drum 52 having a reading slot 53. The mechanism for impartingmovement to portions of the indi catordevice contains :a bar 54;terminating in arack- 55 which is in engagement with a 131111.011 56mounted onthe axis of the indicatordrum-57 on which thecomputationvalues in the form of graduation marks 58 and designations(not shown) are distributed. Depending upon the Weight placed on theplatform'of this scale a more or less extensive rotary movement will be.imparted to the drum which is in cooperation with astationary pointerbar 58 having laterally projecting fingers 36 also carrying indicatingelements 40 of substantial width and extending transversely of thefingers, these indicating elements being placed here also on abackgroundof acontrasting color, namely the color of the finger 36,- andthis again may be of a color contrasting with that oil the cylindricalgrooves 59 which separate the pairs of rows 58 on the drum from eachother. Similar to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, thefingers 36 of the stationary pointer bar are here also defiect'ed, asillustrated in Fig. 8, for the pur- I pose of bringing theindicatingelements 4.0 proper into that cylindrical surface on which thegi'adiiations are printed, and whereby an error in the. reading of thescale is com pletely avoided. The drum, like the fan chart, is providedwith grooves equidistantly related to the rows of graduations, and'theindicating elements are located in the grooves, each end ofeachindicating element being adapted to cooperate with arow of graduations.I

I claim:

1. In combination, a chart havingrows of graduations, and indicatingelements of substantial width as compared withitheir length, inoperative relation to sa d rows of graduations, said indicating elementsbeing out of coincidence with edges of the surfaces on which they arelocated.

. 2. In combination, a chart having rows'ot' graduations, a bar, fingersprojecting transversely-v from the bar, and indicating elements'carried'by, the fingers and extending transversely of the same, theindicating ele-" ment being out of coincidence with any edge of thefinger. I I

3. In combination, a chart having a plurality of rows of graduations, apointer, transverse fingers on said pointer, and indicating elements onsaid fingers, there being gers on said pointer, indicating elements onsaid fingers, the fingers having surface portions of a color contrastingwith that of the indicating elements on both sides of the in dicatingelement, said surface portions having uniform color. I 1

6. In combination, a charthaving a plurality of rows of-gradnations, apointer, fingers projectingtransversely from the pointer, and indicatingelements 'on. said fingers and located at a distance from the ends ofthe fingers.

7. In combination, a chart having a pliiiality of rows of graduations, apointer, fingers projecting transversely from the pointer and providedwith rounded ends, and, ll11' dicating elements on said fingers andspaced from the rounded ends of the same.

8. In combination, a chart having rows'of graduations with marginallydefined zones between them, indicating elements, a carrier for theindicatin elements,ither e being a color contrasting with that of theindicating elements at both sides of such elements, the

zones being the background of said indicating element's.

9. In combination, a chart having rows of graduat ons with marginallydefined zones background of the fingers, a

between them,a pointer, fingers on the pointer, indicating elementsonthe fingers,there being a color contrasting with that of theindicating elements at both I sides of the same on the finger,thezonestormi-ng the '10. In combination, chart with gradua tions, anindicating element, asupport for the' same, there being a surfaceportion on the support having a color contrasting with 'thatof theindicating element at both sides of the same to form a background forsaid,

indicating element, another surface portion havmg acolor contrastingwith that ofsaid background and' adjacent thereto, one of saidbackgrounds being on the support for the indicating element. I V 11. Incombination, a chart having graduations, a pointer, fingers on saidpoint. er, indicatingelements on said fingers,-there being a surface,portionhaving a color to form a background forsaid indicating eles menton said finger at both sides of the indicating element, and anothersurface portion having a color contrasting with that'ot the saidbackground and'adjacent thereto.

12. In combination, a charthaving aplurality of rows of graduations, andindicating elements, each indicating element being in operative relationto two of said rows of graduations and between the same.

13. In combination, a chart having a plurality of rows of graduations, abar, fingers projecting transversely from the bar, and indicatingelements carried by the fingersv and extending transversely of'the'same,cachindicatingelement being inoperative relation to two of said rows ofgraduations.

14. In; combination, a .charthaving, rows of graduations, indicatingelements inoperative relation to'saidrows of graduations, the rows ofgraduations having marginally I defined zones between-them, andmechanism for producing relative movement between the indicatingelements and said zones, each indicating element being in operativerelation to two rows and between said zones.

15. In combination, a chart having rows of graduations with marginallydefined zones between them, a bar, fingers projecting transversely fromthe bar, indicating elements carried by the fingers and extendingtransversely of the same, and mechanism for producing relativemovementbetween the fingers and said zones, each indicating element being inoperative relation to two rows. v 16. In combinatioina chart having apair of rows of graduations and'a vacant zone between the same,indicating elements, a common carrier for said indicatingelements, theindicating elements being-each movable between two rows of a pair, thetwo rows of graduations having their butts towards the vacant zone.

17 In combination, a chart for Qmp lt lng scales-having a plurality ofro wsof designat ons comprlsing numerals and graduation linesterminating in butts, the

graduation lines terminating -i n.;but ts, each alternate row beinginvertedin respect to the direction of its butts, the butts Of the marksp'ertainingtothe rows otth-e'fsame pairbeing directed; towards eachother, the rows of eaclrpairbeing spaced from each other transversely oftheir length. i

3 19. In combination, a chart having-spaced. I

rows of graduations' arranged, in pairs, indi'--. cating elementscooperat ng with the rows 3 -ot gradu-ations, and between the sameyacarrier common to all of said indicating ele ntsabo t s fa at th cha t,b th ends of each indicating" element being adapted to cooperate with arow of graduations and means for moving the carrier relatively to thechart. 20, In a computlng scale, a chart having a row of value and arowof weight ind ca.-

tions, the rows being'spaced bya vacant zone andan indicating element inoperative relation with said rows and having its ends inn-11y positionbetween-the marginal-lines" ofthe zone. i Y

21. In combination, a chart having'pairs of rows of graduationsthegraduations te r.- ml ating n a ned b tt and i d c ng e 1 'graduations,saidindicating elements being located in the plane of the surface of thechart. 1 23.,In combination, achart'having rows of graduations andhaving recesses adjacent therows of graduations, and automaticallymovable indicating elements located in said 5 recesses. r u

' 24. In combination, a chart having rows of graduations and havingrecesses adjacent the rows of graduations, and automatically and'jointlymovable elements located in said cesses and having a lengthsubstantially equal to the width of the recesses excepting workingclearance. v V Y [26. In combination,- a fiat chart having Y rowstofgradnations arranged alongportions of concentric circles, recessesin'the chart "also disposed along portions of concentric circles aboutthe same center as the rows of ,graduations, indicating elements locatedin said recesses and means for jointly moving said indicating elementsin the recesses through the same angle;

27. In coinbinatioina -fan shaped chart having rows ofgraduationsdisposed along portions of concentric circles, grooves con- 7centric'to said graduatlons between the same,

a'pointer' bar inovable at a distance from "the plane of the chartand-parallel thereto,

fingers on the pointer bar projecting into said grooves, andindicatingeleinents carried on said fingers. I 1 V 28. In-combination, afan chart having a plurality of rows of concentric graduations,

concentric grooves between said rows, a pointer bar oscillatable aboutthe center of r said rows at the bottom, fingers "on the said" pointerbar, and indicating elements [supported by said pointer bar and adaptedto travel in said grooves.

1-30: Ina scale, a fan" chart having concentric rows of graduations andgrooves concentric "therewith disposed between said'frows,

the pointer bar rotatableaboutv an aXis contaming the-center of saidrows and grooves, a spindle on whlchsaid pointer bar is mounted, abearing for said spindle prevent-' 111g any movement butrotary' movementof said pointer bar, indicating elements supportedby said pointer barand adapted to travel in said grooves, and means for actuating thepointer bar, said meansincludingan element lifting upward.

'31. A chart for a computing scale having a' plurality of rows ofdesignations consist- .ing of value indications and unlike graduationmarks and having grooves equidistantly related to said rows of unlikegraduation marks; o

82. In combination, a" chart having rows of graduations unlike arrangedin pairs and grooves between them, and linear indicating elementscooperating with the rows of grad nations unlike a'ndflocated in saidgrooves, both ends of each. linear indicating element being. adapted togra'duations; r

33. In COmbIHZLlHOIIfZL' chart having a plurality or curved rows ofgraduations,

grooves concentric with'said rowsbetween the same, a polnter bar, meansfor producmg relative movement between sald chart deflectedfrom-thepplane of movement and arranged with respect to the chart insuch cooperate with a row of v and pointer bar, fingers on thelpointer'bar manner that their top surfaces are iiush with the chart, andindicatingeleinents on the deflected portions of said fingers.

- In witness whereof I atiiX my signature.

GEORGE nuronmson.

